Predicting Adolescent Resilient Outcomes for Children Who Experienced Interparental Violence During Childhood

Predicting Adolescent Resilient Outcomes for Children Who Experienced Interparental Violence During Childhood

Author:

Gonzales, Gerald G., 1974-

Abstract:

This dissertation study is an examination of childhood contextual factors that contributed to adolescent resilient outcomes among children who experienced interparental violence (IPV). More specifically, the study examined the degree to which verbal ability, temperament, behavior problems, parenting quality, parent-child conflict, IPV, and parent's perceived support in childhood account for variance in behavioral problems, self-efficacy, and parenting received in adolescence. The present study addresses gaps in IPV and resilience literature in the following ways: (a) Few studies have focused on adaptive outcomes of children who experienced IPV; (b) little is known about which contextual factors are most important in facilitating resilient outcomes for this population; (c) factors beyond the microsystem were included as predictors; and (d) little is known about the early predictors of general self-efficacy (a defining attribute of resilience) and parenting (a protective factor that facilitates resilience) for the present population. The sample was derived from an existing data set from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods. This is a longitudinal data set using a nonclinical, randomly selected sample. Using regression models to test whether childhood ecological factors could predict adolescent outcomes, the study had four primary findings. First, childhood (Wave 1) emotionality temperament predicted childhood internalizing problems, which predicted adolescent (Wave 3) internalizing problems. Second, childhood emotionality and parenting quality predicted childhood externalizing problems, which predicted adolescent externalizing problems. Third, none of the childhood variables were strong predictors of adolescent general self-efficacy. Lastly, parenting quality in childhood predicted parental monitoring in adolescence; however, none of the study variables were strong predictors of parenting quality in childhood. Results are discussed in the context of varying adolescent outcomes and the larger literature on IPV. The study highlights directions for future research, including the need to further examine protective processes among children survivors of IPV.